Pressure relaying device



April 11, 1961 w. M. HAESSLER 2,978,911

PRESSURE RELAYING DEVICE Filed Aug. 21, 1957 Q Q Q Q m q Q i w INVENTOR.

14414 new .HAEJ'QLEQ M m A'TTORNEY Unite 2,978,911 PRESSURE RELAYINGDEVICE Filed Aug. 21, 1957, Ser. No. 679,359 Claims. (Cl. 74-2) Thepresent invention relates to fire extinguishing apparatus andparticularly to a pressure relaying device of the type includingreleasable pneumatic impulse producing means.

The pressure relaying device in accordance with the present invention isan improvement over that shown in Lowe US. Patents Nos. 1,869,20l and1,996,478.

The pressure relaying device is used in the controls of fireextinguishing apparatus such as, but not necessarily limited to, thetype of actuation termed rate of rise and which depends upon a rapidrate of rise in the temperature of the space in which the control deviceis located. The rate of rise operating head is generally a thin walledvessel positioned adjacent the ceiling of a space to be protected andconnected by piping to a pressure actuated device incorporating ventmeans. Under normal conditions of temperature variation, the increase inthe pressure in the rate of rise head is vented without actuating thepressure-actuated device. However, under conditions of explosion orunder fast temperature rise, the pressure builds up faster than it isvented and causes actuation of the control device. Many times it isdesirable to utilize the control device for closing windows or doors,shutting off air ventilation systems, making ready distribution valves,as well as opening the main discharge valve of a fire extinguishingsystem. By reason of the comparatively low energy of the rate of risehead, it has been the custom to use pressure relay devices triggered bythe rate of rise head, such pressure relaying devices operating one ormore of the aforementioned devices. Obviously, it is important that thepressure relaying device remain inoperative under normal conditions ofvibration, shock, etc., but it should be readily actuable underconditions such as are produced by a fire.

The present invention aims to provide an improved pressure relayingdevice incorporating a novel structure which is simple and economical inmanufacture, efiicient in operation, and durable in use.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description and from the accompanying drawing which shows, byway of example, an embodiment of the invention.

The drawing is a vertical sectional view of a pressure relaying devicein accordance with the invention.

Referring to the drawing, there is shown a pressure relaying device 1 inaccordance with the invention and which includes impulses producingmeans 2, and latching means 3 releasably restraining the pneumaticimpulse producing means 2.

The pneumatic impulse producing means 2 includes a housing 4 ofgenerally tubular shape and closed at one end with an end wall 5 havingcentrally positioned therein on the inward side thereof a stop member 6.A boss 7 is provided on the outer side of the end wall 5 for an outlet8. A fluid passage 9 is made through the end wall '5 connecting theoutlet 8 with the interior of the housing 4. The end wall 5 may besecured to the end of the housing 4 by any suitable means such as by theuse of screws extending through the end wall 5 into bosses On theoutside of the housing 4. In order to provide a spring Stat atet:

recess, one end of the housing 4 is reduced in diameter as indicated at10, and an end wall 11 is provided to close the housing. A guidewaypassage 12 extends through the end wall 11. Within the housing 4 is positioned the impulse producing means including a bellows member 14 ofgenerally tubular construction secured at one end 15 by soldering orother suitable means to an inwardly projecting portion 16 of the endwall 5. An end 17 of the bellows 14 is a bellows end guiding member 18having an extending portion 19 to which is secured the end 17 of thebellows. The bellows and guiding member 18 is considerably larger indiameter than its axial length and it is provided with side wallsslightly rounded as indicated at 20 for a sliding self-aligning contactwith the inner wall of the housing 4. A spring 21 is interposed betweenthe bellows end guiding member 18 and end wall 11 of the housing, thespring 21 normally tending to urge the bellows end guiding member 18 soas to compress the bellows At one end of the housing 4 is provided ventor drain openings 22.. The end wall 11 has an extension 24 grooved toform a swivel ring recess 25 adapted to receive a swivel nut retainingring 26.

A swivel nut 27 with a threaded inner surface 28 is grooved as indicatedat 29 to receive the swivel nut retaining ring 26. In order toreleasably hold the bellows end guiding member 18 against the action ofthe spring 21, a latch rod 30 is provided which is preferably threadedlyengaged in the guiding member 18 as indicated at 31. The lower end ofthe latch rod 30- is grooved as indicated at 32 to form a head 34. Wall35 of the groove 32 adjacent the head 34 is formed as a portion of aspherical surface with its center approximately at the intersection ofthe axes of the rods 3% and 54. The outer end of the head 34 is formedwith a tapered or rounded surface 36. Another groove 37 is made aboutthe latch rod 36 to receive an O-ring gasket 38 to provide a seal.

The latching means 3 includes a housing or tubular member 40 extendinggenerally transversely to the housing 4 and having an extension or boss41 threaded to be engaged by the swivel nut 27. The extension 41 has anopening 42 therein to receive a bearing member 44 at the end of theextension 24 of the end member 11. The tubular housing 40 is formed withone end 45 having a guideway passage 46 therein, the outer surface ofthe end 45 being provided with an enlarged flange portion 47 to beattached to any suitable device for the control thereof.

In order to form a spring recess, the guideway passage 46 is enlarged asindicated at 4-8 and still further enlarged at its other end asindicated at 49 to form an enlarged guideway. The end 50 is threaded toreceive any suitable control device having a threaded connection. Atrigger rod 54 is slideably engaged in the guideway 46 and has its outerend 55 reduced in diameter. A gasket recess 55a receiving an O-ringgasket 55b is positioned adjacent the end 55 of the operating rod 54 toprovide a sea In order to position an annular cup-shaped trigger member55, the trigger rod 54 may be made in two portions threadedly engaged asindicated at 57 and providing collars 58 and 59 to receive wall 66 ofthe trigger member 56 therebetween. Side wall 61 of the trigger member56 is made of any desired length so as to engage in the groove 32 of thelatch rod 30. Inner surface 62 of the trigger member 56 is preferablyformed as a portion of a spherical surface having approximately the sameradius as that of the surface 35 with which it cooperates, the center ofthe radius being positioned approximately at the intersection of theaxis of the latch rod and the axis of the trigger rod.

End 64 of the trigger rod 54 is enlarged as indicated at 65 to form alarge guiding surface. 'Outwardly of the large guiding surface 65, theinner surface of the tubular housing 40 is recessed as indicated at 66to receive a locking member 67 adapted to prevent the trigger rodassembly from moving outwardly of its guideway. A spring 68 ispositioned in the spring recess 48 abutting between reduced portion 69of the housing 40 and the wall 60 of the trigger member 56.

In order to reset the impulse producing means after the actuatingthereof, the housing 4 is provided with an axially extending slot toreceive a hand operated rod 71 threadedly engaged in the bellows endguiding member 18. The outer end of the rod 71 may be rounded or 'devicein contact therewith. Upon movement of the trigger rod 54, the triggermember 56 has its cup shaped wall disengaged from the head 34 of thelatch rod 30, releasing the rod and allowing the spring 21 to compressthe bellows member 14, thereby producing a pneumatic impulse outwardlythrough the outlet 8 to actuate any other desired pressure actuateddevice.

To reset the pressure relaying device 1 for another operation, themanually operated rod 71 is moved towards the latching housing 40,thereby contacting the inclined surface 36 of the head 34 against theedge of the trigger member 56, automatically moving the latch rod 30axially to allow passage of the head 34, whereupon the spring 68 movesthe trigger member 56 so that the edge of the trigger member is engagedin the groove 32 of the latch rod 30.

While the invention has been described and illustrated with reference toa specific embodiment thereof, it will be understood that otherembodiments may be resorted to without departing from the invention.Therefore, the form of the invention set out above should be consideredas illustrative and not as limiting the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A latching mechanism for use with a pressure relaying device of thetype including pneumatic impulse producing means, the latching mechanismcomprising a housing having a passageway therethrough, a boss positionedon the side of the housing, the boss having a threaded exterior surfaceand having a passage therethrough, the boss passage having a portion ofreduced diameter defining a collar, a bearing member positioned in theboss passageway and abutting against the collar, a ring nut threadedlyengaged with the boss surface holding the bearing member in position, alatch rod slideably received in the bearing member, the latch rodgrooved at one end defining a latch head, the wall of the grooveadjacent the head formed of a portion of a spherical surface, thehousing passage having a portion of reduced diameter defining aguideway, a trigger rod slideably received in the housing guideway, acup shaped trigger member carn'ed by the trigger rod, and a springurging the trigger member into releasable engagement with the latchhead, the trigger member surface in engagement with the latch headsurface also forming a portion of a spherical surface, the center pointof said spherical surfaces being the intersection of the axes of thelatch and trigger rods.

2. A latching mechanism for use with a pressure relaying device, thelatching mechanism comprising a housing having a passagewaytherethrough, a boss on the housing,

the boss having a passageway therethrough with a portion of thepassageway of reduced diameter defining a collar,

a bearing member positioned in the passageway abutting against thecollar, a latch rod slideably received in the bearing member, the latchrod grooved at one end defining a latch head, the wall of the grooveadjacent the head shaped as a portion of a spherical surface, thehousing passage having a portion of reduced diameter defining aguideway, a trigger rod slideably received in the housing guideway, acup shaped trigger member carried by the trigger rod, and a springurging the trigger member into releasable engagement with the latchhead, the trigger member surface in engagement with the latch headsurface also shaped as a portion of a spherical surface and conformingto the adjacent latch head surface, the center point of the sphericlsurfaces being the intersection of the axes of the latch and triggerrods.

3. A latching mechanism for use with a pressure relaying device, thelatching mechanism comprising a housing having a passagewaytherethrough, a boss on the housing, the boss having a passagewaytherethrough, a latch rod slideably received in the boss, the latch rodgrooved at one end defining a latch head, the wall of the grooveadjacent the head shaped as a portion of a spherical surface, thehousing passage having a portion of reduced diameter defining aguideway, a trigger rod slideably received in the housing guideway, acup shaped trigger member carried by the trigger rod, and a springurging the trigger member into releasable engagement with the latchhead, the trigger member surface in engagement with the latch headsurface also shaped as a portion of a spherical surface and conformingto the adjacent latch head surface, the center point of the sphericalsurfaces being the intersection of the axes of the latch and triggerrods.

4. A latching mechanism for use with a pressure relaying device, thelatching mechanism comprising a housing having a passagewaytherethrough, a boss on the housing, the boss having a passagewaytherethrough, a latch rod slideably received in the boss, a latch head,at one end of the latch rod, the inner surface of the head shaped as aportion of a spherical surface, a trigger rod slideably received in thehousing passageway, a cup shaped trigger member carried by the triggerrod, and a spring urging the trigger member into releasable engegementwith. the latch head, the trigger member surface in engagement with thelatch head surface also shaped as a portion of a spherical surface andconforming to the adjacent latch head surface, the center point of thespherical surfaces being the intersection of the axes of the latch andtrigger rods.

5. A latching mechanism for use with a pressure relaying device, thelatching mechanism comprising a housing having a passagewaytherethrough, a boss on the housing, the boss having a passagewaytherethrough, a latch rod slideably received in the boss, a latch head,at one end of the latch rod, the inner surface of the head shaped as aportion of a spherical surface, a trigger rod slideably received in thehousing passageway, a cup shaped trigger member carried by the triggerrod, and a spring urging the trigger member into releasable engagementwith the latch head, the trigger member surface in engagement with thelatch head surface also shaped as a portion of a spherical surface andconforming to the adjacent latch head surface.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS182,298 Bangs Sept. 19, 1876 859,843 Rogers July 9, 1907 902,096 LoveOct. 27, 1908 1,509,257 Randall Sept. 23, 1924 1,742,183 Bell Jan. 7,1930 2,002,798 Renholdt May 28, 1935 2,180,818 Fields et al Nov. 21,1939 2,191,861 Rymal Feb. 27, 1940 2,287,989 Grifiith June 30, 19422,540,941 Graham et al. Feb. 6, 1951 2,600,162 Frautz June 10, 19522,671,347 Scherer Mar. 9, 1954

